Марк Ньютон - Drakenfeld

‘Only in Tryum.’

‘You’re working on a case that is the talk of Tryum, at least. And speaking of the talk of Tryum…’ He leaned in a little closer. ‘It seems our glorious General Maxant will be entering the political arena very soon.’

‘He seeks a place in the Senate?’ I replied.

Veron nodded. ‘With Lacanta gone, the king will need a new figure to help him influence senators, someone with a bit of presence in the absence of Lacanta’s skills behind the scenes.’

‘He doesn’t strike me as a man of politics.’

‘It’s the only way for him to go. The people are fond of him. He has significant financial resources at his disposal now. He’ll do well. The king is going to have him by his side at the Stadium of Lentus in a couple of days’ time – you’re welcome to accompany me to that, by the way. In fact, I insist.’

‘I’d be delighted to do so, thank you. I haven’t seen one of those races in years. Are they still as brutal as they used to be?’

‘A little more so now the rules have been relaxed even further. Perhaps they’re the perfect way to honour a general who has been away on a brutal campaign for years, though I believe it will also feature a funeral speech in honour of Lacanta. You’ll want to attend for that reason alone, no doubt. But before this, Maxant will be making a speech tomorrow afternoon.’

‘To the Senate?’

‘No, to the people,’ Veron said. ‘His streets are going to be in one of the lower regions of the city – possibly Vellyum – to help the king establish even more popularity with the poor.’

A cynical move, but perhaps good tactics on behalf of Licintius. ‘I may wish to hear what our victorious general has to say for himself on political matters.’

‘I thought you might,’ Veron replied, but he wasn’t looking at me – he regarded the women on stage.

My gaze followed his. Of the three women who were now dancing, I thought I recognized one of them – it was the woman I saw walking by my house recently, the one who’d strolled straight out of my past.

Initially it was only because of a scar on her back that I recognized her, but then her movements and the shape of her limbs confirmed who it was. Watching a little more attentively, I could hardly believe who I was seeing. She wore a green eye mask, and a green wrap of cloth around her breasts and waist, and I was absolutely certain it was her.

Titiana.

I watched her dance right in front of me, her face tilted away as part of the routine, but soon she came within touching distance. Her bronzed legs were almost precisely as I remembered, as was the rest of her lithe body, currently arching back over. When she rose to the top of her pose with her dark hair spiralling down, she looked right at me – and froze.

The music continued, but she didn’t move for several heartbeats.

We continued staring at each other and she realized she had lost her place, falling far behind the other women. Her dark eyes were just as incredible as I remembered; they possessed an intensity that made me feel guilty just for looking at her. She tried to compose herself and rejoin the others, soon hiding the fact that she had ever been out of rhythm in the first place.

The song finished, the music stopped and the woman I was convinced was Titiana turned to escape behind the stage and out of the back of the room. I leapt up and tried to pursue her, but two hefty-looking men wearing short daggers intercepted me. No one wanted a scene here. I heard Veron muttering something to me, but all I could do was babble that I’d be back shortly.

Where was the damn exit? I ran past all the guests towards the entrance, and back outside. The streets were cool, thronging with the energy of night and all that might entail for the people of Tryum. I hurried around the side of the building into one of the alleyways, just as the back door to the bar opened up – and that was where I dashed.

‘Titiana.’

She slammed the door, breathless, and slowly turned to face me. No longer wearing her mask, I knew for certain it was her and no other.

In a rapid move, Titiana slapped me across my right cheek.

That really hurt.

‘I probably deserved that,’ I breathed.

Her face was heavily made up for the stage, and I wished she would wash it all away to reveal who she was. She moved to strike me again; I caught her wrist this time. Titiana moved her other hand and I grabbed that, too. ‘I heard you were back, you bastard.’

‘You can’t still feel such hatred for me?’ I asked, exasperated.

‘I can – and I do,’ she replied.

Whether she pulled me or I pushed her gently back against the door, it was impossible to tell, but it was certainly mutual. Her lips moved to within inches of mine, and we just remained there, knowing exactly what to do, but uncertain of the consequences.

Titiana shoved me back and said, ‘We can’t. Not again. I’m a married woman now – a lady of Tryum.’

‘You were the last time,’ I replied. ‘Or at the very least, you were on your way to being one.’

‘It’s different now. And you can’t tell anyone you know me.’ No longer could she focus on my face. Instead her attention was taken by anything either side of me, anything other than me.

Our foreheads touched gently. ‘I’ll not breathe a word of it. Why would I want to share this good secret? I’ll happily come back and pay double for private dances. Triple even.’

‘I didn’t think the Drakenfelds were the type to come to such places.’

‘Admittedly this isn’t my usual night out. It was Senator Veron who brought me here. For a moment I was worried he was going to drag me into a brothel.’

‘I’ve heard about him,’ she replied. ‘The senator who spends more time at dinner parties than engaged in Senate business. He comes here a lot.’ She paused for a moment, her anger gradually diffusing. ‘So what are you doing back in Tryum? I thought you’d gone for good.’

‘I came to attend my father’s funeral,’ I said.

Titiana’s expression grew sorrowful and for a moment she seemed lost for words. ‘I’m very sorry for your loss. I heard he had passed away. He was a good man. But how long have you been back?’

‘Only a few days. I’ve since been attached to the Lacanta murder.’

‘Really?’ Her awe came and went like a puff of wind. ‘So, you’re still with the Sun Chamber…’

There was a bitterness in her voice. Conscious she was hardly wearing anything, I took off my cloak and put it around her.

‘We should not be here, Lucan. What if somebody sees us?’

‘This is one of the least suspicious acts in the vicinity of this tavern. What if someone saw you in there?’

‘I take such a risk each night.’

‘Why do you need to work here?’

‘Because of the money. It pays well and there isn’t as much danger as you’d think. I’m an attractive woman and all I have to do is dance and occasionally speak pleasant words to gullible but rich old men. There’s nothing else involved – people go down-city for more.’

‘I know the types that come to these places. You’re a smart woman – you could be doing something safer for the money.’

‘I could have, but not after what you did.’

The guilt hit home, but I tried to ward it away in my mind with the logic that ultimately she was the one who had broken the law. ‘Let me take you out for something to eat tomorrow. I want to speak to you more. That’s all I want. Simply to talk.’

‘Then what?’ Titiana snapped. ‘Sleep with me until you’re satisfied, and leave me in the middle of the night?’

‘You know that’s not what I would ever intend to do, and if I did when I was young, that was because it was mutual, and we didn’t want anyone to find us together.’